This invention relates generally to measurement devices, and, more specifically, to optical spectrometers.
Various commercial products are manufactured from plastic. In one example, plastic is used for countertops which are offered in various solid colors or patterns. Enduran (trademark) plastic is commercially available from the General Electric Company in various color patterns commonly having natural stone appearance features. For example, this plastic may have varying color for emulating natural stones such as granite or marble.
This reproduction stone appearance is relatively complex since both color and pattern vary along the surface of the countertop to emulate the stone. During manufacture of the countertop, suitable quality control is required to ensure that the countertop is a visually acceptable reproduction of the intended stone appearance. This quality control is currently conducted by visual examination of the plastic countertop sheet material, which examination is correspondingly subjective.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a pattern analyzer for colored sheet plastic to provide a quantitative representation of the visual appearance of the sheet for a comparison with a corresponding acceptable standard.